Recollection
by AkaneRules
Summary: A two part story based on the Stand Alone Complex Series: Motoko and Batou survey a busy street only to come across an old friend...or possible foe. [Also, this fic should make you want to hold onto your cellphone...]
1. Chapter 1

"Mother! Mother! Look!" The child exclaimed excitedly while pointing at a toy store window, "That doll is so pretty!"

"It certainly is." The mother smiled and nodded in agreement, "Much like you. Now come along, we must get home."

"But Mother.." The girl refrained from walking. She looked genuinely concerned. "She's all alone...she needs another doll friend..."

"She has many friends, Dear," The mother explained as she began to point to other toys through the glass window, "There's the bear, the dog, the monkey, and the owl...Her friends do not have to be dolls, they can be anyone as long as they are kind and accepting of her."

The child seemed to understand and smiled. She now looked content as she walked through the crowded market area with her mother.

Such a scene took place before the Major's eyes. She was standing right around the corner, overhearing and observing the conversation. In order to look unsuspicious, she had her phone out and was pretending to use it up. She soon returned it to her back pocket as she watched the small family walk away. There was a longing look in her eyes and she did not exactly know why. The feeling she felt was like that of a primal instinct despite lacking the components of even having one.

"I'm here, Major." Her partner Batou greeted as he stood beside her.

"You're late."

Batou was taken aback, "Only by two minutes!..Geez, what got you all worked up?"

"I need you to be on time when you're needed." She stated simply while walking ahead.

"What? Would you have just gone on and left if I was _three_ minutes late?"

"Most likely."

"Damn. Can't you give your old pal a break?" He almost pouted.

"You should know my expectations by now." Her responses were always quick and clever, leaving him with the cold shoulder. She seemed to be the hardest woman to please on Earth but that's what made her so special to Batou. No matter how much she critiqued and complained about him, he was simply satisfied with working with her.

"Alright, you win." He chuckled. He then got to buisness, "Now why exactly are we here?"

The Major suddenly switched their conversation to their telecomms, _[There have been complaints about looting and pickpocketing here. Normally, we would let the local police handle these things but the particular items that are constantly being stolen are what caught our interest. Cellphones, health monitors, tablets and other devices are not only being sold on the black market, but also being used for illegal bot-fighting rings. The electronics are taken apart to construct newer machines that, at the same time, steal personal information from the individual that had their item taken from them.]_

 _[I see. So we're here to monitor the area?]_

 _[Yes, and perhaps catch a few pickpockets.]_

The location they were in was a long, wide street full of locals and tourists. It was a fire waiting to be ignited with crime but so far, all seemed manageable. The street was crowded with wandering people and eager street vendors. Each vendor sold practically the same items from one another and the only differences present were color and prices. The buildings that fenced the area in had stores that one could only afford to window shop and not actually step foot in to purchase an item. Of course, the two officers were uninterested in buying anything; Material things did not appeal to them.

After about an hour and a half of walking and scanning, there simply was nothing to be suspicious of. Was it too crowded for there to be a crime? Were criminals aware that agents from Section 9 were present? It was difficult to tell and frankly, Batou was a bit bored.

"There's nothin' here...are you sure you got the right address?" He asked with a sigh.

"We can't let our guard down now. Until we even have the slightest indication of a pickpocket, I am not leaving." Major spoke with determination.

"Fine, fine. I won't leave either."

In a brief moment, Major was bumped from behind. She spun around and was now face to face with an elderly woman. The woman was wearing a light blue yukata and she had her grey hair up in a bun.

"I am so sorry, Mi-" The elderly woman began to apologize until her blue eyes widened, "Motoko?..."

Batou inched toward the Major protectively since she was addressed by her first name. This woman was too old to be a girlfriend or even a casual friend to Motoko.

"Yes, that is definitely you...those crimson eyes give it away."

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Motoko asked, feeling a bit put off yet not expressing it.

"Oh...you don't remember me...well, no one can blame you. Cyborg memories are often tossed away and forgotten..."

The woman seemed to know a little too much about the Major that it even made Batou feel uneasy, so he stepped up, "Alright Lady, who are you?"

The woman was a bit intimidated by the burly man but she finally answered, "I use to be her first-year teacher in highschool..."

Her answer was compelling and her suspicion level decreased, according to Batou's mind.

"I apologize for not remembering you. I only remember that high school was something I wanted to forget." Motoko shrugged.

The woman nodded understandingly, "I take no offense...You have grown so much and are practically a whole new person. Your personality, your fashion, and now a husband."

"We're-"

"-delighted to have met you." Batou interuppted as he placed his hand on Motoko's hip, now playing the role as the loving and nosy husand, "She never discloses anything about her past so it's good to see someone who was a part of it."

Motoko had the greatest urge to propel Batou into a brick wall with her fist but she did not want to cause a scene.

"Ah, now that is something that has not changed about her." The elderly woman giggled, "I suppose I should introduce myself...I am Toriyama Noriko." She bowed.

"Batou." He greeted with a single nod.

"It's nice to meet you again Mrs. Toriyama." Motoko replied with appreciation.

"I would love to stay and catch up on things, but I must return to my store."

"Where do you work?" Batou asked.

"In a shop called 'La Boîte de Souvenirs'. I sell items pertaining to the storage and use of memories for androids and cybrogs alike. I also have a vault where people have their most precious or darkest memories stored away. They always tell me that it gives them a sense of closure and protection. If you both wish to come by and visit, you certinaly may. I'm located down the alley next to the noodle shop."

"Maybe some other time." Motoko replied, perhaps a bit too quickly. Batou was curious to see what this 'memory store' would be like thus he was disappointed in the Major's decision.

Toriyama gave a wrinkled smile and nodded, "As you wish. You are a busy woman. Just know that you can visit me any time." She gave them one final bow before turning away and disappearing into the busy crowd.

Once she was gone, Batou asked, "Why don't you want to go the store?"

"I don't need to go."

"Why not? I'm sure there are a lot of things that you can uncover about yourself...hell, we just met your highschool teacher, who knows what else you could discover."

"Maybe I don't want to and we should leave it at that." She pulled away from his hold and turned, "C'mon, let's sweep through the area once more and then we can leave."

Batou gave a frustrated huff and did not bother to argue with her any further. There was no point in persuading someone as stubborn as her into doing something she doesn't feel like doing even if something good were to come out of it.

The two spent the rest of the evening walking and examining their enviornment. It gave Batou some time to get over the ordeal about the memory store but Motoko still had some uneasiness about her; she felt like something was missing. She was not the type of person to give up such a minor task yet in this moment in time, it seemed suitable. They made their way out of the crowd and near the parking lot where there was no activity.

"I guess nothing's here." She concluded.

"It seems so." Batou agreed before offering, "Want to get some coffee? I'm buyin'."

"Sure." She could not turn down free coffee. She reached into her back pocket and suddenly had a serious look on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"My phone." She checked the other pocket. Nothing was there.

"I was behind you the whole time...I didn't see anyone come near you. Did you leave it at home?"

"I was using it when you first arrived." She began to check her jacket.

"Maybe you dropped it."

"Batou, I've chased down dozens of criminals with a phone in my pocket and not once have I dropped it." She removed her jacket and tossed it to her cohort whom immediately caught it. She then started to pat down her own body.

"Okay, okay. Do you at least still have your wallet?"

Motoko slightly unzipped the front of her leotard and reached her hand between her cleavage. She pulled out her black leather wallet and checked to see if everything was still inside. Her ID, cards, and cash were all there and she gave an affirming nod.

"Want me to...search you myself?" He low-key offered.

She did not even have to say anything to reject him. She gave him the classic "yeah right" look and zipped her leotard back up after putting her wallet away. Batou walked behind her and helped her put her jacket back on. As he stood behind her, she remembered being bumped into by Mrs. Toriyama.

"She took it..." Motoko said aloud.

"What?"

"Mrs. Toriyama must have grabbed it when she bumped into me..."

"The old lady? No way!" Batou was now a bit miffed, "She probably wasn't your teacher at all! Just some petty thief trying to gain your trust! You wait here, I'll go find her..." He turned and trudged away before letting Motoko utter another word.

He found himself back in the busy street but this time it had a different atmosphere to it. People stared at him and singled him out for whatever reason. He ignored the stares and looked in every direction for the old woman. He remembered her disclosing the location of the memory store yet was unsure if such a place even existed. He might as well go to the destination and if it happened to be some sort of trap, he knew he could handle it. He passed by the noodle shop and turned the corner which led to a dark and empty alleyway. He entered the tucked away area and had a pistol ready. He slowly paced his way through and in the distance, he could see light illuminating the left wall.

 **La Boîte de Souvenirs** a neon sign read above a small store. The blinds were closed and it was difficult to see what was inside through the window. The glass door said "Open" and it suddenly opened when a young woman exited the store. Batou quickly hid his gun and realized that this Toriyama was not lying about such a location. Now it was simply to see if she truly worked there. Before the door could shut, he stopped it with a single hand and entered the building.


	2. Chapter 2

Upon entering the building, what Batou found inside was absolutely unexpected. He found himself standing in the middle of an empty school hallway. He looked behind himself and no longer saw the door he entered through; it was simply more hallway.

"What the hell…" He muttered.

Suddenly, the sound of running footsteps began to echo about the hall behind him. He turned and saw a girl turn the corner with books in her arms. She was running towards his direction until she tripped and dropped her reading materials. Batou's instant reaction was to see if she was okay and that's what he did.

"Hey, are you alright?" He asked with concern once he made it over to her.

The girl looked up at him with wide crimson eyes. It was none other than a young, frightened Motoko. Her violet hair was messy as it seemed like she had been running for quite a while.

"M-Motoko?..." Batou asked in shock.

She looked behind herself and saw a group of girls walking towards her. She quickly gathered up her books in a frantic manner before getting up and running through another hallway.

Batou was greatly confused by what he was witnessing so he decided to follow the girl himself. Where exactly was he? Is he experiencing the Major's memories? But how?

The girls who were following her looked like upperclassmen due to their different colored uniforms. They obviously had ill intentions and Batou had the greatest urge to intervene even though it seemed like he physically could not.

Young Motoko ran into a dead end as the classroom doors nearby were locked. She faced the group of girls and stood her ground though she was clearly afraid. Her short sleeve top exposed her jointed arms as her skirt did her jointed legs.

"Kusanagi, why are you running?" The "leader" of the group asked in a patronizing tone. She had long, wavy blonde hair and light blue eyes, "It's too early for gym class."

The posse giggled amongst themselves and Motoko looked down.

"Shouldn't you be outside for recess right now? What are you doing with all of those books? Class doesn't start until 13:00…"

"No one wanted to play with me…" Motoko said in a very quiet voice.

"Speak up!" The blondie demanded.

"No one wanted to play with me." Motoko spoke more clearly.

"Oh really?" The girl smirked and looked about her friends, "I think I know why…"

Motoko gave no response.

"Maybe it's because no one plays with dolls anymore…" The girl leaned forward with her hands on her hips, "They're pretty to look at but not fun to play with...they can break so easily and frankly...you look a little broken yourself." The girl pulled out a red screwdriver from her skirt pocket and began to stick it into one of Motoko's wrist joints. The other girls joined in to pin the cyborg back against the wall in order to assist in the assault.

Batou was practically horrified by the scene and he began to yell, "Are you all insane?! Stop hurting her!"

Motoko was trying her best to break free and the moment she tried to call for help, they covered her mouth. Batou tried to grab the assailants but his hands moved through their bodies as if they were phantoms.

The class bells rang and the girls stopped their actions. The pulled away from their victim and quickly scurried back to their own classrooms, leaving the young Motoko all alone. She slid down to the floor and covered her face. Her left wrist was now somewhat dislocated and the screwdriver was still lodged inside. She began to silently weep and Batou looked at her with great sympathy.

A female teacher exited one of the classroom's and gasped when she saw the weeping girl.

"Motoko! What happened?" She rushed over to her and dropped to her knees next to her despite wearing a dress, "Who did this?"

Motoko shook her head, perhaps afraid to give away the identities of the attackers.

"The president of the school must be notified about this immediately! Have you not been through enough, dear child?"

"I want to go home...I want my parents...I want my _real_ parents…" Motoko finally responded.

The teacher frowned and wrapped an arm around the cyborg before pulling her close to her in a motherly fashion, "I know, Dear, I know…" She gently moved Motoko's hands out of her face and looked at her. Her face was wet from the oily tears but the teacher kindly began to dry them with a spare handkerchief. She then said, "I miss my parents too...and though I lost them years ago, I still feel the pain to this day...but there is something that keeps me going…"

"What?..."

"They told me to always look ahead. The person you are today will most likely not be the same person you are in 10 years...everything that happened today is a mere paragraph of your life story but it's your job to find out what comes next."

Motoko smiled and looked encouraged by her words. She hugged the teacher and said, "Thank you, Ms. Toriyama…"

Everything began to grow bright and Batou shielded his optics. The scene soon faded and now he seemed to be standing in what looked to be an antique shop. Behind the counter was Old Toriyama herself.

"Was that…" Batou began, speechless by what he witnessed.

"'A memory'? Of course." She finished his question, "This shop is full of projectors that are used to project a person's memory as if they were standing in it in third person...and for your next question, yes, that was one of your 'wife's' memories…"

Batou rubbed his forehead, looking quite stressed, and said, "I can't believe that happened to her...she was so young…"

"Motoko has had a very hard life growing up." The woman nodded, "Those events taught her that the world is unfair and in order to survive it, you must play unfairly...no wonder she joined Section 9 when she did." She suddenly tossed a small object to Batou which he was able to catch. It was Motoko's missing cellphone.

"So you _did_ steal it...but why?"

"Neither one of you would have come if I didn't," Toriyama laughed in her elderly voice.

The small doorbell sounded and the Major entered the shop. She looked around and soon joined them asking, "Is everything okay? I didn't hear any gunshots so I assumed all was well."

"Motoko…." Batou said, almost in relief. He greeted her with a warm hug in which she was not expecting whatsoever.

"Batou...what are you-" She looked uncomfortable and had no idea what set him off like this. She looked around and noticed a familiar object on the counter next to the cash register. She patted Batou's back, gesturing for him to let go of her which he proceeded to do. She slowly made her way to the counter and picked up a red screwdriver. She looked at it silently for a moment before commenting, "Time sure does fly, doesn't it?…"

"Do you remember?" Batou asked while walking over to her.

"Now I do." She nodded, "I was around 12 when it happened...the attack itself didn't hurt but I suppose the thought of them _wanting_ to hurt me did…Humans sure can be cruel."

"What do you suppose you should do?" Toriyama asked from behind the counter.

"Nothing. I've already moved on." Motoko shrugged, "That and amongst many other things…" She looked at her former teacher, "I appreciate you wanting to show me my memories but I assure you that I am just fine. Perhaps there are still a few personal things I have trouble with...but bullying isn't one of them...Maybe _I'm_ the bully now." She chuckled before crushing the screwdriver with a single prosthetic hand and dropping the pieces.

Batou was a bit surprised by her actions and he didn't know what to make of it. He was actually hoping the Major would get emotional so he could be there for support but that was obviously not how this scene was going to go down.

Motoko grabbed her phone out of Batou's hand and stated while exiting, "Let's go...I'm ready for that coffee you promised me."

"I'll be there in a minute." Batou replied before directing his attention back to the old woman, "Mrs. Toriyama...Thank you so much for showing me that memory...I would like to see more in the future…I want to learn more about her past which can help explain some of her mannerisms now..."

"How about we see one of _your me_ mories next time?" She smiled.

"What?...No."

"Why not?"

"I'm just fine."

"Are you sure? I have a few memories that explain that temper of yours…"

"Alright, I'm leaving…" Batou replied in frustration. He finally trudged his way out of the building, catching up with his female superior.

Back in the shop, Toriyama Noriko stood smiling and giggling as she held Batou's now stolen cell phone in her hand.

The End


End file.
